G/TFA/W/42/Rev.1  
 
27 September 2021  
(21-7194) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Trade Facilitation  Original: English  
 
PROPOSAL TO FORMALIZE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR  
COMMUNICATION FROM BRAZIL AND THE UNITED STATES  
Revision  
INTRODUCTION  
1. The anticipated  benefits  of full implementation  of the WTO Trade  Facilitation  Agreement  (TFA) 
are well-documented and are expected to impact a wide range of stakeholders. The key to achieving 
those gains are a Member -driven approach to implementation, robust private sector engagement, 
and full participation from all WTO  Members.  
 
2. As Members,  we can gauge  the relative  success  of implementation  plans  by feedback  from the 
private  sector,  often received  through  leveraging  the TFA's  requirement  to operate  a National  Trade 
Facilitation Committee (NTFC) with private sector participation. In some cases, the private sector 
may be the most sensitive stakeholder to trade facilitation reforms and changes in border agency 
operations.  Therefore,  every  Member 's unique  mechanism  to tap into valuable  private  sector  insight 
is critical for the success of ful l implementation of the  TFA. 
 
BACKGROUND  
3. We are strong advocates of experience sharing and thematic discussions during Committee 
meetings. During these discussions, Members often provide information  learned  from private  sector  
feedback  that sparks  vibrant  discourse  at the Committee.  In order to build on this momentum, Brazil 
and the United States propose instituting a consistent practice  to engage  the private  sector  so as to 
provide  information  about  TFA implementation  directly to Members of the Com mittee on Trade  
Facilitation.  
 
4. In soliciting feedback, it is particularly crucial to hear from a diversity of organizations that 
vary in such factors as businesses sector, size and capacity, and regional operation, among others. 
To achieve  a higher  level of diversity,  Members  may highlight  the opportunity  to present  to the WTO 
Committee on Trade Facilitation through their National Trade Facilitation Committees and other 
private sector outreach efforts. Members may also choose to highlight this opportunity to Micro -, 
Small -, and Medium -sized Enterprises (MSMEs). It is imperative that we all explore opportunities 
to encourage and support MSME participation from developing and least develop ed countries.  
 
PROPOSAL  
5. We propose that the Committee conve ne informally, virtually or in hybrid format, on the 
margins of  formal  Committee  meetings  to host discussions  with and presentations  from the private  
sector  to facilitate direct feedback regarding on -the-ground implementation of the TFA. The private 
sector organizations may present how implementation of specific provisions of the TFA has 
improved the private sector experience or identify areas of remaining  challenges.  
 
5bis. In order to encourage participation from a wide variety of businesses and div ersity of 
organizations, geographic locations, and perspectives, the Committee may consider in 
operationalizing this proposal as follows:  
 
A. The geographical location of active participants shall rotate  at each informal meeting, for 
example, Europe, Central Asia, and Russia; Africa and the Middle East; Asia; and the 
Americas. Thus ensuring a focus on each region of the world;  G/TFA/W/42/Rev.1  
 
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  B. Allow for "silent -mode " participation of any interested private sector participant, outside the 
region in ( A) in order to encourage new business connections;  
C. Encourage Members, as appropriate, to draw participants from its National Trade Facilitation 
Committee; to that end, Memb ers will be responsible for inviting and maintaining contact 
information for those participants;  
D. Encourage Members to put an emphasis on the participation of Micro -, Small -, and Medium -
sized Enterprises (MSMEs), including any organizations that represent t heir interests; and  
E. The Committee may choose to focus on a particular topic(s) of interest in a region in order 
to solicit direct comments and feedback, and repeat or vary topics, or include no particular 
focus on specific topics.  
 
6. The Committee  may consid er establishing  a process  to increase  the efficiency  of reviewing  the 
many anticipated requests from the private sector to present at these informal sessions. We  
propose  that any members  of the private  sector  submit  to the Secretariat  requests to  present  on a 
topic of interest  that relates  to TFA implementation.  Submissions  would  be accepted throughout the 
year, and Members should consider reviewing and accepting requests on a rolling basis. The 
Committee will then invite members of the private sector with an approved topic to present to 
Members on the margins of a formal Committee  meeting.  
 
7. Further to the objective of encouraging participation from a wide variety of businesses and 
diversity of organizations, geographic locations, and per spectives, the Secretariat shall:  
 
A. Maintain a registration sheet for participants to register to participate;  
B. Provide convening notices that can be broadly distributed to a diverse range of potential 
participants;  
C. Work with the IT staff to provide access t o participants to those meetings for which they 
have been invited; and  
D. Provide, as possible, for meeting times that take into account maximum participation of the 
participants of the particular geographical location.  
 
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